Friday, February 17, 2012

February 17, 2012 … God’s Careful Precautions

Leviticus 14: 54-47 : … [Skincare and Mold]… 54 These are the regulations for any defiling skin disease, for a sore, 55 for defiling molds in fabric or in a house, 56 and for a swelling, a rash or a shiny spot, 57 to determine when something is clean or unclean. … These are the regulations for defiling skin diseases and defiling molds. =============LEVITICUS 15: 32-33 … : … [Bodily Discharge and Sexual Intercourse] … 32 These are the regulations for a man with a discharge, for anyone made unclean by an emission of semen, 33 for a woman in her monthly period, for a man or a woman with a discharge, and for a man who has sexual relations with a woman who is ceremonially unclean.

My Journal for Today: As one reads through Leviticus, Chapters 14-15 in today’s chronological read of the Bible, you have to be impressed with the details of God’s care for His people; and we must remember that this detail is in the context of the healthcare of those times and in that culture.

Part of God’s watch-care and healthcare precautions were an attempt to help separate God’s chosen people from the health care (or lack thereof) of the other pagan tribes and cultures in those regions, … the “Gentile” cultures. God’s people were being asked to do life God’s way, not in the ways and watch care of the pagans. God was teaching His children to do it the way of their loving, caring, and watching Heavenly Father; and their God would not ask them to do something – anything – which was not for their good. Therefore, if God’s children, obediently followed through with instructions like the ones given to them through Moses, they would remain healthy and hardy. If not? - … Well, you get the picture.

So, should we be doing healthcare exactly as instructed by God’s word in the Old Testament. Well, there are some things which could be incorporated from the Levitical system which would help us out; but generally, since we have God’s updated New Covenant plans for His children, under the watch care and covering of Christ’s blood, we would not have to carry out these legal ways of healthcare. In fact, God has given us – in our times – other, very wonderful, healthcare systems and precautions which are far superior to those in the Old Testament times/cultures.

The primary principle under inspection here is to seek, hear (or read), and follow God as we live our lives. And when we find God’s will for our lives, we live it out, trusting the ways of God to lead us through cultural, as well as healthcare, issues. It’s the working out of the principle of Proverbs 3: 5-6 for our lives as Christians. Find God’s way, primarily through His word, and live out His will. So, do we follow every Levitical law to the letter? No, … that’s not what I’m interpreting here – or God’s will, I believe – would say to us. Those healthcare laws and ways were for God’s children in those times and under their knowledge of the world at that time. Now, we must use what God has given us in the way of healthcare principles to allow us to thrive – in this world and in this time.

The principle of Proverbs 3: 5-6 and others under the watch care of God’s word are not time or culturally limited. And yes, seeking, finding, and knowing God’s will and HIS way, through His word, can be challenging at times for our finite individual and collective minds. BUT, … when Jesus said (in Luke 9: 23) for His disciples to “… deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Me,” … those instructions were for any time, any culture, and any generation. And His watch care for our generation, under the watch care of His word, will always keep us healthy: … physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It is our responsibility to seek out HIS will, and HIS way, through HIS word … and then to follow it … obediently and without question. That was God’s over-riding principle of watch care for His children in Leviticus … just as it is now, as Christians, in this 21st century.